Everything about air travel in the 1980s that's different now
Few things have changed quite as much in the last few decades as air travel. Back in the day, it was a glamorous affair. These days, you’re more likely to see people wearing track pants and jandals than suits and polished black shoes.
BT spoke to workers from two of the UK’s biggest airlines, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, to reminisce about how flying used to be back in the '80s.
It wasn’t cheap
And it still isn’t! But back in the day, a return flight with BA from the UK to Barbados would set you back around $2117 in today’s money – and that’s per person. By contrast, today, you could expect to pay as little as $812. “People sometimes saved up for years to go on a flight. It really was a luxury,” said Josephine Hart, who joined BA in 1988 as a flight attendant. “I think I'd only ever been on an aeroplane once before I became an air hostess.”
There weren’t many options
When it first launched in 1984, Virgin Atlantic flew just one route – London to New York. These days, it offers more than 30 long-haul destinations. On the other hand, BA had 140 routes on offer in 1985 – a number which has since grown to 200. “We used to go away for up to 21 days, and stop here, there and everywhere, because aircraft couldn't fly as far as today,” said Hart. "We used to get four or five days off afterwards I think, but it was more of a lifestyle.”
Security was pretty lax
X-ray scanners were used occasionally, but most of the security checks were in the hands (literally) of humans. “There were always regulations on what you could bring on – we would have posters behind the check-in desk saying you can’t take dynamite on, for example,” said Paul Jarvis of the BA Heritage Centre. “Nowadays, you can't take on nail clippers or even too much liquid.” You were able to pop in and visit the pilots, and metal cutlery was perfectly normal.
The on-board experience was very different
Smoking? Go ahead. In the '80s, planes were split into smoking and non-smoking sections, and you could even buy a pack of ciggies from cabin crew. It was also not unusual to see people dressed in their Sunday best. “In the 1980s, you wouldn't think of getting on board without wearing a suit jacket, trousers and a shirt,” Jarvis recalled. “Nowadays, businessmen are often scruffy on aircraft.”
What are your memories of air travel in the '80s? Share them with us in the comments below.